Sharp China with Bill Bishop

By Andrew Sharp and Sinocism’s Bill BishopNews

Sharp China with Bill Bishop episodes

March 25 (Preview) A Giant Mess with Super Micro; Completely Correct Xiong’an Progress; The PRC’s Balancing Act on Iran; Manus, Apple and Router News
On today’s show Andrew and Bill begin with last week’s indictment of Wally Liaw, the co-founder of Super Micro, and its implications for US chip policy. Topics include: Incredible details from the indictment, US enforcement options, and bipartisan calls for government action on Nvidia exports to China and Southeast Asia. Then: Xi takes three Standing Committee members and three other Politburo members to inspect the progress at Xiong’an, signaling continued commitment to the “new area” 60 miles south of Beijing. At the end: Reports that the US visit to China is delayed indefinitely, the PRC’s delicate diplomatic calculus as the Iran war continues, and tech news on Manus, Apple, OpenClaw, and an FCC ban on routers.
Get all episodes of Sharp China, Sharp Tech, Stratechery Updates and Interviews, Greatest of All Talk, Asianometry and the Dithering Podcast as part of Stratechery Plus for $15/month or $150/year.
Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
To email the show: [email protected]
@SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube
@Stratechery Channel — YouTube
Xi inspects Xiong’an; China Development Forum; Iran; Nvidia chip smuggling; SOE rules; Sleeping fish — Sinocism
Wang Yi speaks with Iranian counterpart; Japan-China; Router ban; Hong Kong bookstore owner arrested; Poyang Lake dam — Sinocism
Three Charged with Conspiring to Unlawfully Divert Cutting Edge U.S. Artificial Intelligence Technology to China — DOJ
US must suspend Nvidia AI chip exports to China, senators say — Financial Times
China acquired recently banned Nvidia chips in Super Micro, Dell servers, tenders show — Reuters
A Mystery C.E.O. and Billions in Sales: Is China Buying Banned Nvidia Chips? — New York Times
The Big Hack: How China Used a Tiny Chip to Infiltrate U.S. Companies — Bloomberg
Feng Shui: between spirituality and state legitimation — Sinocities
Trump-Xi summit on hold until Iran conflict ends, people briefed say — Politico
Chinese Founder of Router-Maker TP-Link Seeks a Trump Gold Card — Bloomberg
FCC Bans Wireless Router Imports, Citing Security Concerns — Bloomberg
China Ramps Up Scrutiny of a Meta A.I. Deal — New York Times
US-China; PRC-Vietnam; H200s; China cuts the “Apple tax”; Chinese Modernization and 15th Five-Year Plan — Sinocism
19 min
March 20 (Preview) The War in Iran and the Visit to Beijing; New DNI Assessments on Taiwan; Military Scientists Disappearing From Public View
On today’s show Andrew and Bill begin with the news that President Trump has postponed his visit to Beijing amid the war in Iran, including why a delay made sense for both sides, a “Board of Trade” proposal amid signs of stability in Paris, and the uncertainty that pervades on both sides as the war in Iran continues. From there: Reactions to a DNI assessment on China’s reunification intentions, news on U.S. weapons sales to Taiwan, the unknowns for China as Gulf unrest persists, and questions surrounding PLA readiness in 2026. At the end: Reactions to reports that several military scientists have had their profiles scrubbed from public websites, while Jensen Huang tells the world that Nvidia has received purchase orders for the H200 but Groq will not be shipping inference chips.
Get all episodes of Sharp China, Sharp Tech, Stratechery Updates and Interviews, Greatest of All Talk, Asianometry and the Dithering Podcast as part of Stratechery Plus for $15/month or $150/year.
Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
To email the show: [email protected]
@SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube
@Stratechery Channel — YouTube
Iran war; PBoC’s 2026 tasks; US-China; Japan; Front-loading 2026 spending — Sinocism
US-China; PRC-Vietnam; H200s; China cuts the “Apple tax”; Chinese Modernization and 15th Five-Year Plan — Sinocism
Sinocism live on US-China relations with the FT’s Demetri Sevastopulo — Sinocism
Loud and Clear — Sharp Text
China is Tight-Lipped on Trump’s Request to Delay His Xi Summit — New York Times
Donald Trump warns Nato faces ‘very bad future’ if allies fail to help US in Iran — Financial Times
Trump Officials Look to More Managed Approach to Trade With China — New York Times
Trump Shifts U.S.-China Strategy on Trade to Dealmaking — Wall Street Journal
Taiwan parliament authorises signing of stalled $9 billion US arms deals — Reuters
Exclusive: New US weapons for Taiwan could be approved after Trump’s China trip, sources say — Reuters
Top nuclear weapons, radar and missile experts vanish from Chinese Academy of Engineering site — South China Morning Post
Nvidia Says It Is Restarting Production of AI Chips for Sale in China — Wall Street Journal
14 min
March 12 (Preview) The ‘Raising a Lobster’ Frenzy; Iran and US-China as Trump’s Visit Looms; Two Sessions Takeaways
On today’s show Andrew and Bill begin with the frenzy surrounding OpenClaw in China, including Beijing’s response, security concerns, liability questions, an object lesson in the Chinese market, and why Tencent looks like a potential winner as regulatory issues are sorted in the months to come. From there: Reports that Beijing is unhappy with the limited preparation in advance of Trump’s visit to China, news that pieces of the THAAD system have been relocated from South Korea to the Middle East, Trump’s promised gift to China at the Strait of Hormuz, and fentanyl tension as March 31st looms. At the end: Reactions to the Two Sessions, why the “Iron Rooster” budgeting approach is consistent with the past few years of planning, missing PLA generals, and Sharp China Sports news as BYD mulls an entry to F1 and Lewis Hamilton tours China.
Get all episodes of Sharp China, Sharp Tech, Stratechery Updates and Interviews, Greatest of All Talk, Asianometry and the Dithering Podcast as part of Stratechery Plus for $15/month or $150/year.
Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
To email the show: [email protected]
@SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube
@Stratechery Channel — YouTube
PLA at the Two Sessions; US-China; Iran; OpenClaw — Sinocism
Xi meets with PLA and PAP delegates; Wang Yi press conference; US-China; China and Iran; OpenClaw frenzy — Sinocism
China’s OpenClaw Craze Buoys Tech Stocks, Fuels AI Pivot — Wall Street Journal
China Moves to Curb OpenClaw AI Use at Banks, State Agencies — Bloomberg
OpenClaw Conquered China in 100 Days — Hello China Tech
Why Tencent Needs OpenClaw More Than Any Other Chinese Tech Giant — Hello China Tech
Personal AI Agents like OpenClaw Are a Security Nightmare — Cisco
Women Are Falling in Love With A.I. It’s a Problem for Beijing. — New York Times
Frugal ‘Iron Rooster’ Budget Signals Pain for Growth and Consumers — Wall Street Journal
Post by Gerard DiPippo re: Beijing’s “iron rooster” budget — X: @gdp1985
Why China stands to gain from US moving military assets for Iran war — SCMP
China Irked by Last-Minute Scramble to Plan Xi-Trump Summit — Bloomberg
Early Iran strikes cost $5.6 billion in munitions, Pentagon estimates — Washington Post
US and China clash over fentanyl and tariffs at global drugs meeting — Reuters
INTERVIEW: Japan’s involvement conditional, ex-minister says — Taipei Times
China’s BYD Explores F1 Entry in First Auto Racing Push — Bloomberg
Lewis Hamilton visits Jiuzhaigou National Forest — X: @44britcedes
16 min
March 05 All Eyes on Iran; Two Sessions Questions; Alibaba, DeepSeek and Distillation; Another UK Spying Scandal
On today’s show Andrew and Bill begin with the war in Iran and its implications for the PRC. Topics include: Upsides and downsides for China, why US strategy was likely related to Iran and not the PRC, questions about the Strait of Hormuz, the Iran partnership and PRC global leadership, implications for Taiwan, why a Beijing visit from Donald Trump remains likely, and yet another US war in the Middle East… From there: What to watch for at the Two Sessions this week, an exodus at Alibaba, waiting for a new DeepSeek model, and distillation alarm at American AI labs. At the end: Another spy scandal engulfs Labour in the UK, and fun facts about Spider-Man: No Way Home and its failure to clear $2 billion worldwide.
Get all episodes of Sharp China, Sharp Tech, Stratechery Updates and Interviews, Greatest of All Talk, Asianometry and the Dithering Podcast as part of Stratechery Plus for $15/month or $150/year.
Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
To email the show: [email protected]
@SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube
@Stratechery Channel — YouTube
Reactions to the US-Israel attack on Iran; Prepping for the Two Sessions; Science and technology insurance — Sinocism
Reactions to Iran war; US-China; Two Sessions; DeepSeek and Qwen — Sinocism
China Calls on All Sides to Protect Ships Transiting Hormuz — Bloomberg
What’s behind China’s careful response to its ally Iran after US-Israel strikes? — SCMP
Taiwan Arms Sale Approved by Congress Is Delayed as Trump Plans Visit to Beijing — New York Times
Inside the plan to kill Ali Khamenei — Financial Times
What to Watch at China’s Two Sessions in 2026 — Center for China Analysis
Alibaba AI Whiz Who Warned of US-China Tech Gap Steps Down — Bloomberg
DeepSeek to release long-awaited AI model in new challenge to US rivals — Financial Times
Detecting and preventing distillation attacks — Anthropic
Exclusive: China’s DeepSeek trained AI model on Nvidia’s best chip despite US ban, official says — Reuters
Husband of Labour MP among three arrested on suspicion of spying for China — The Guardian
57 min
February 12 (Preview) Pending Taiwan Arms Sales; Jimmy Lai Sentenced; Takaichi Secures a Supermajority; AI Models as Propaganda Vectors
On today’s show Andrew and Bill begin with the reports that the PRC is threatening to scuttle Trump’s visit to Beijing over a second arms package from the U.S. to Taiwan, including thoughts on next moves from the U.S., how this arms shipment happened, and the PLA’s dangerous aerial maneuvers around Taiwan. From there: Reactions to the news that Jimmy Lai has been sentenced to 20 years in Hong Kong prison, a State Council white paper on “One Country, Two Systems,” and Sanae Takaichi’s party secures a supermajority in Japan three months after the PRC’s pressure campaign over her Taiwan comments. At the end: The propaganda value of AI models, and a word about hockey and the Winter Olympics.
Get all episodes of Sharp China, Sharp Tech, Stratechery Updates and Interviews, Greatest of All Talk, Asianometry and the Dithering Podcast as part of Stratechery Plus for $15/month or $150/year.
Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
To email the show: [email protected]
@SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube
@Stratechery Channel — YouTube
Jimmy Lai sentenced; Xi on Sci-tech self-reliance; Japan elections; US-China; Nanjing Museum case; AI propaganda — Sinocism
Xi’s Beijing inspection; Li on rare earths; Hong Kong white paper; Taiwan Affairs Work Conference; PBoC report — Sinocism
China warns US arms sales to Taiwan could threaten Trump visit in April — Financial Times
China steps up dangerous air encounters near Taiwan — Financial Times
China critic and former media tycoon Jimmy Lai is sentenced to 20 years in a Hong Kong security case — AP
Exclusive | China rallies neighbours against Japan in rare meeting. Will it work? — SCMP
UK, UN and EU deplore ‘monumental injustice’ of Jimmy Lai’s 20-year jail sentence — The Guardian
Japan’s Leader Wins in a Landslide, Clearing Way for Hard-Line Agenda — New York Times
How Japan’s Leader Rescued Her Party from the Abyss — New York Times
Tokens of AI Bias — China Media Project
Chinese artificial intelligence distorts perceptions — Estonian Foreign Intelligence Service
Activist father of U.S. Olympian Alysa Liu targeted by Chinese spy ring — AP
Who is Alysa Liu, Team USA’s alt-girl figure skater who just won an Olympic gold medal? — Yahoo! Sports
17 min
February 05 The PLA Purges One Week Later; World Leaders Flock to Beijing; A Trump-Xi Phone Call; Panama Canal Resolution?
On today’s show Andrew and Bill begin with follow-up thoughts on the purges at the top of the PLA, including reactions to a New York Times piece on Xi’s “paranoia,” answers that have yet to materialize, He Weidong suicide rumors, and various theories on what any of this might signal. From there: Keir Starmer’s trip to Beijing, caution before drawing too many conclusions from the recent steps from Canada and the U.K., and a flurry of stories about Xi’s ambitions for the RMB as a global reserve currency. At the end: Parsing the readouts from a surprise Trump-Xi call Wednesday, why Taiwan arms sales may have been at issue, the U.S. gets serious about critical minerals, Panama deals a blow to China, and Nvidia’s H200 adventures head to the State Department.
Get all episodes of Sharp China, Sharp Tech, Stratechery Updates and Interviews, Greatest of All Talk, Asianometry and the Dithering Podcast as part of Stratechery Plus for $15/month or $150/year.
Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
To email the show: [email protected]
@SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube
@Stratechery Channel — YouTube
Uruguay President in China; Document No. 1; Development of future industries; Building a financial power; Fighting deflation; Zhang Youxia; 2026 GDP — Sinocism
Xi meets Starmer; Services consumption work plan; Soccer corruption; Nvidia and China — Sinocism
Ruptures in China’s Leadership Could Be Due to Paranoia and Power Plays — New York Times
China’s Xi, Now Alone Atop His Military, Is the Sole Voice in Tackling Taiwan — Wall Street Journal
The Unsettling Implications of Xi’s Military Purge — Foreign Affairs
Xi the Destroyer — Foreign Affairs
The Scorpion and the Frogs — Sharp Text
LIVE with Bill Bishop: The world order is shifting — and China is moving fast to shape it. — Sinocism
Been spendin’ most their lives livin’ in the free trade paradise — China Articles
Follow the Path of Financial Development with Chinese Characteristics and Build a Strong Financial Nation — Quishi
Trump, Xi Hold Call as China Warns on Taiwan Arms Sales — Bloomberg
Taiwan launches firepower hub with US as Beijing steps up military pressure — SCMP
Trump to Launch $12 Billion Critical Mineral Stockpile to Blunt Reliance on China — Bloomberg
China Loses a Foothold in Panama — WSJ
China Warns Panama of ‘Heavy Price’ on Court Ruling on Ports — Bloomberg
Nvidia AI chip sales to China stalled by US security review — FT
1 hr 3 min
January 29 (Preview) 10 Questions on the Detention of Zhang Youxia, Corruption in the PLA, Rumors, Messaging, and Taiwan
On today’s show Andrew and Bill react to the news that the rumors were true, and CMC members Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli are under investigation for corruption. Topics include: The timing of the announcement from the Defense Ministry, why this weekend’s news inspired such a volume of reactions around the world, a history of Xi’s crackdowns on the PLA, questions about rumors of a coup against Xi, reports that Zhang Youxia was working with the U.S., the PLA corruption heyday and its implications for what might come next, and various ways to think about the implications for Taiwan. At the end: The first batch of H-200s is approved for purchase, and the TikTok sale is approved as users lash out with censorship claims.
Get all episodes of Sharp China, Sharp Tech, Stratechery Updates and Interviews, Greatest of All Talk, Asianometry and the Dithering Podcast as part of Stratechery Plus for $15/month or $150/year.
Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
To email the show: [email protected]
@SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube
@Stratechery Channel — YouTube
PLA purges intensify: Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli under investigation — Sinocism
Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli case; National Conference on Science and Technology; Slow bull market; UK PM to China; US NDS — Sinocism
Xi Jinping’s purge of top general sends China’s military into uncharted waters — Financial Times
Gutian Congress — Wikipedia
China’s Top General Accused of Giving Nuclear Secrets to U.S. — Wall Street Journal
Xi Seeks ‘Total Control’ of Military With Purge, Perdue Says — Bloomberg
The demise of Zhang Youxia hits different — Drew Thompson
The Zhang Youxia case — Sinocism Live
China Approves Purchases of Nvidia’s H200 Chip, Easing Tension With U.S. — Wall Street Journal
China, US sign off on TikTok US spinoff — Semafor
12 min
January 22 (Preview) Canada and the New World Order; Second Order Questions for the US and EU; More Big Names Purged from the PLA?
On today’s show Andrew and Bill begin with reactions to a new “strategic partnership” between China and Canada, including thoughts on fissures in the West that are a win for China, Prime Minister Carney’s “new world order” comments, U.S. rhetoric that created the conditions for a thaw, and why this direction could be a decision Canadians come to regret. From there: The UK and countries in the EU consider a thaw of their own, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer headed to Beijing, the “mega embassy” approved in London, and America pushing for concessions on Greenland. At the end: Thoughts on the latest rumors surrounding Zhang Youxia and the stunning scale of PLA purges to date, a congressman accuses Nvidia of astroturfing opposition to chip legislation, and the CBA becomes embroiled in the latest gambling indictment from the FBI.
Get all episodes of Sharp China, Sharp Tech, Stratechery Updates and Interviews, Greatest of All Talk, Asianometry and the Dithering Podcast as part of Stratechery Plus for $15/month or $150/year.
Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
To email the show: [email protected]
@SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube
@Stratechery Channel — YouTube
Meeting for senior officials on Fourth Plenum spirit; More PLA purges?; He Lifeng at Davos; Officials talk up fiscal and financial “stimulus” — Sinocism
2025 GDP growth on target; Births keep declining; China-Canada new strategic partnership; Davos; Premier Li meets MiniMax CEO — Sinocism
Canada Breaks With U.S. to Slash Tariffs on Some Chinese Electric Vehicles — NYT
US says Canada will regret decision to allow Chinese EVs into their market — Reuters
Canada will regret cozying up with China to troll Trump — Washington Post
Bullied by Trump, US allies turn to China — Noah Barkin
Exclusive: Britain, China to revive ‘Golden Era’ business dialogue during Starmer visit, sources say — Reuters
Britain approves ‘mega’ Chinese embassy in London despite national security fears — CNN
The new Chinese embassy in perspective — Observing China
Sinocism Live: The UK-China spy scandal and UK-China relations with Charles Parton — Sinocism
House Republican squares off against Nvidia, Sacks over AI chip bill — The Hill
Post by the Midas Project — X: @TheMidasProj
More than a dozen NCAA basketball players charged over rigged games, prosecutors say — CNN
14 min
January 15 (Preview) What’s at Stake for China in Iran; Canada’s PM in Beijing; Notes on Chips, Apps, and Drones
On today’s show Andrew and Bill begin with the instability in Iran, including thoughts on Trump’s Truth Social post threatening 25% tariffs on Iran trade partners, why that threat is unlikely to materialize as additional US tariffs on Chinese goods, and the PRC’s concerns about oil access, investments, and regional stability as the situation continues to evolve in Tehran. From there: Chinese refiners eye Canadian crude oil, Prime Minister Mark Carney visits Beijing and seeks Canadian export markets beyond the US, and a China Daily editorial celebrates the opportunity and urges the Canadians to the root causes of previous setbacks in bilateral relations. At the end: The “Are You Dead?” app dominates Apple’s App Store in China, new regulations and new reporting on the H200 saga, the US updates its Chinese drone policy, and the CCDI highlights another possible area of US-China convergence.
Get all episodes of Sharp China, Sharp Tech, Stratechery Updates and Interviews, Greatest of All Talk, Asianometry and the Dithering Podcast as part of Stratechery Plus for $15/month or $150/year.
Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
To email the show: [email protected]
@SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube
@Stratechery Channel — YouTube
CCDI; H200s; US-China; Zhong Caiwen; Short newsletter today — Sinocism
CCDI Plenum opens; Rare earths exports to Japan get rarer; EU-China EV progress; Canadian PM’s visit to China — Sinocism
Trump Risks Imploding China Trade Truce With Iran Tariff Vow — Bloomberg
Trump’s Venezuela Oil Grab Pushes Chinese Refiners to Canada — Bloomberg
Carney visit chance for Canada to repair ties: China Daily editorial — China Daily
Caught Between Superpowers, Canada Seeks a New Path in Beijing — NYT
China’s ‘Are You Dead?’ app checks in on growing cohort of people living alone — FT
China’s Viral Are You Dead? App to Go Global Under New Name — Yicai Global
US Clears Path for Nvidia to Sell H200s to China Via New Rule — Bloomberg
Beijing Restricts Nvidia’s H200 Purchase, Banning the Chips From Entering China — The Information
Exclusive: China’s customs agents told Nvidia’s H200 chips are not permitted, sources say — Reuters
US government abandons plan to blacklist Chinese-made drones — SCMP
9 min
January 08 China’s Venezuela Calculations; Japan’s Rare Earth Access; A Reported Pause on Nvidia Purchases; The Meta-Manus Deal Under Review
On today’s show Andrew and Bill return from the holidays and begin with the PRC’s reaction to the arrest of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela. Topics include: PRC outrage and embarrassment, the propaganda value of the U.S. disregard for international law, oil questions, why most of the Taiwan takes were misplaced, looming tension at the Panama Canal, and Iran as a wildcard. From there: A Ministry of Commerce directive on rare earths for Japan, and questions about how this standoff might end. At the end: A report that PRC companies have been asked to pause purchases of the H200 chips, thoughts on the Manus-Meta deal and a review in Beijing, and a recorded recruiting call offers a window into how CCP propaganda works in the modern era.
Get all episodes of Sharp China, Sharp Tech, Stratechery Updates and Interviews, Greatest of All Talk, Asianometry and the Dithering Podcast as part of Stratechery Plus for $15/month or $150/year.
Bill Bishop is the author of Sinocism
To email the show: [email protected]
@SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube
@Stratechery Channel — YouTube
China’s Venezuela Calculations; Real Estate Market Expectations; December Politburo and Democratic Life Meetings; Museum Scandal; 2026 Propaganda Tasks — Sinocism
Tightening export controls on dual-use items to Japan and threatening rare earths export licenses; Stock market on a roll; Influencers to help improve “international communication” — Sinocism
What Trump’s Ousting of Venezuela’s Maduro Means for China — Bloomberg
US capture of Maduro tests limits of China’s diplomatic push — Reuters
Trump demands Venezuela kick out China and Russia, partner only with US on oil: Exclusive — ABC
‘China is not Cuba’s sugar daddy’: ties between communist nations weaken — Financial Times
The U.S. Venezuela Operation Will Harden China’s Security Calculation — Carnegie Endowment
Trump’s Enormous C-Length Win over China — Collapse Intelligence Agency
Chinese refiners expected to replace Venezuelan oil with Iranian crude, traders say — Reuters
China’s Threat to Block Rare Earths Has Put Japan on High Alert — New York Times
Inside China’s Six-Decade Campaign to Dominate Rare Earths — New York Times
Exclusive: Nvidia sounds out TSMC on new H200 chip order as China demand jumps, sources say — Reuters
China Tells Tech Companies to Halt Nvidia H200 Chip Orders — The Information
China reviews Meta’s $2bn purchase of AI start-up Manus — Financial Times
The Smear Campaign Against Guan Heng: A Transnational Repression Operation From the CCP’s External Propaganda Machine — Human Rights in China
Breaking news: Another “#China shock” — Chinese Embassy to the US
1 hr 4 min